Gear change operating means



Sept; 6, 1938. s. J. BOUGHTON 2,129,259

I GEAR CHANGE OPERATING MEANS Fi'led June 4', 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTUE Septv1933- I s. J. BOUGHTON 2,129,259

GEAR CHANGE OPERATING MEANS Filed June 4, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 6, 1938. s. J. BOUGHTON GEAR CHANGE OPERATING MEANS a Shets-Sheet 5 Filed June 4, 1.934

Patented Sept. 6, 1938 PATENT ornea -2,129,259 GEAR CHANGE OPERATING MEANS Solon J. Boughton, Shaker Heights, Ohio Appllcation June 4, 1934, Serial No. 728,852

Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in gear change operating means, that is to say mechanism for changing the speed ratios in a transmission, particularly a transmission for an automotive vehicle, including as one aspect of the invention a manually controlled power operated clutch.

One of the objects of. the invention is the provision of means, conveniently'located upon, the

steering post of an automotive vehicle, for revolving or controlling the revolution of the gear carrier oi a revoluble gear carrier type of transmission.

Another object is the provision of means for preventing the accidental shifting of the carrier to the reversegear position.

Another object is the provision oi means asso-' ciated with the gear shiitingor control lever for effecting the actuation of the vehicle clutch, and

' particularly means so constructed and arranged that it must be operated to effect declutching before the lever can be moved, and will necessarily be operated to effect clutching aiter the lever has reached a new gear' position and has been released by the operator.

Still another object is the provision 0! means for reducing to a minimum the dragging eflect of the grease in the transmission casing, thereby facilitating the revolution of the gear carrier,

. particularly in cold weather.

Other objectsanid features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of those embodiments of, they invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I ve illusan automotive vehicle, showing my shift lever and associated parts.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, largely diagrammatic, illustrating a hydraulic clutch actuator, with, electrical control means, andin'cluding the steering post oi an automotive vehicle through which the electric control circuit extends.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken sub-' stantially on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a developed vertical sectional view through a quadrant for the shift lever, the position oi the view being indicated by the line 6-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is adetail sectional view on a la ger I scale, taken suntially along the line --i oi Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the shift lever in the reverse gear position with the quadrant shown in cross section substantially along the line t-t' of Fig. 6. a Figs. 9 and 10 are transverse sectional views taken substantially along the li es t and it-ili, respectively, of Fig. 1., N

' Fig. ii is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line Ii-i I of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 12 is, a detail sectional view of a dog clutch element with a synchronizer incorporated therein. a

The present invention is concerned principally with the manipulation'oi the gear carrier ina revoluhle gear carrier type of transmission, such as is dlscid in my prior Patent No. 1,815ii34, issued July 31, 1931.

As illustrated in Fig. l, the transon may include a casing it which is rigidly supported. in the vehicle to the rear oi a conventional clutch, diagrammatically illustrated at It. A shaft it extends from the clutch through a hear-' ing in the at... it. In alignment with the shaft ii there is adriven shaft it, mounted in a ring in the rear wall of c it. The shafts ii d it carrvdog clutch elements it and 2t respectively, which are slidahly keyed or splined to the shafts, In the casingv it, parallel with aligned shafts ii and it, there is a jack shai't ii ,which is oscillatahle in hearings in the casing. Shaft it supports the gear carrier.

The gearcarrier in this ccondsts oi a pairoi circular and plates 22 and it which keyed to the t 20 and are joined together and braced by a plurality oi rods or holts 2i. Spacing sleeves 25 surround thwe bolts between the plates 22 and it. On' the shaft ti between the carrier plates 22 and, it there is an elongated antifriction bushing orloearing it upon which rotates chest of three gears 211,23 and it, which together form the countershait gears for each of the gear trains. There are three "such trains, reverse gear, first gear and second gear and, in addition, there is direct drive; It will be obvious that a greater or mailer number of gear trains could be provided if desired.

The carrier as illustrated in Fig. 1 is in the reverse gear position. The carrier plate 22 has mounted therein a short shaft It which entends forward and has keyed thereon a gear 3| and a dog clutch element 32 which is adapted to be engaged by the dog clutch element l9; Mounted in the other carrier plate 23 in alignment with the shaft 30 there is another short shaft 33 with a dog clutch element 34 on its outer end and with a gear 35 keyed on its inner end. The gear 35- meshes at all times with the countershaft gear 29. Referring to Fig. 10, it will be seen that gear 21 meshes with a relatively small gear 36 that is keyed to a shaft 31 positioned 90 away from shaft 30. Shaft 31 is a short shaft journaled in carrier plate 22. On its outer extremity and in front of plate 22 this shaft carries a dog clutch element 38 identical with the clutch element 32, while behind the clutch element 38 is a gear 39 which meshes with gear 3|.

The drive for reverse gear, coming from shaft I1, is transmitted through dog clutch elements l9 and 32 to gear 3|, thence through gear 39 to shaft 31, and by way of gear 36 to countershaft i gear 21, thence from countershaft gear 29 to gear 40 shaft gears.

35 on shaft- 33 and out to the propeller shaft through dog clutchelements 34 and 20.

For first speed the gear carrier is rotated through an angle of 90 from the position illustrated, causing dog clutch element 33 to come into alignment with clutch element l9. Drive takes place through clutch elements I9 and 33, shaft 31, and gear 36 to countershaft gear 2], and thence through countershaft gear 29 to another gear like the gear 35 but in alignment with gear 36, and out to the propeller shaft. When the gear carrier is rotated 180 from the position illustrated in Fig. 1, a dogclutch element 40 is brought into alignment with clutch element ls. Clutch element 40 is keyed to a short shaft 4| journaled in carrier plate 22. On the inner end of this'shaft there is keyed a gear 42 which meshes with the middle gear 28 of the counter- Another short shaft 43 is journaled in carrier plate 23 in alignment with shaft 4|, and on its inner end there is keyed a gear 44 which meshes with countershaft gear 29. A dog clutch element 45 is keyed to the outer or rear 45 end of shaft 43 and is adapted to be engaged by clutch element '20. When this second speed train is in operative position 180 from the position illustrated in Fig. 1, driving force may be transmitted from shaft l1 throughclutch eleextremities with dog clutch elements 41 identical with the elements 32 and 34 and the corresponding elements of the other gear trains. In Fig. 1 the dog clutch elements l9 and 20 are shown in their withdrawn or disengaged positions. These elements preferably, although not necessarily, include some form of synchronizer. An example is illustrated in Fig. 12. The clutch element includes a portion 48 which is slidable upon shaft these two parts being held against relative rotation by interengaging splines. This .part of the clutch is provided with an annular groove 49. The remaining portion of the clutch is cup-shaped.- Teeth 53 are formed on its inner wall, and these teeth are adapted to engage with out-to the propeller I the external teeth on the clutch elements carried by the shafts in the revoluble carrier. The synchronizer herein illustrated consists of a disk 5| having friction material on its outer surface and provided with external teeth slidably fitting the teeth 50. A plurality of pins 52 are threaded into the disk 5| and are slidable through holes formed in the part 48 of the clutch element, these pins having headed ends for engagement with the end surface of the clutch element. A coil,

spring 53 seated in a socket in the extremity of the shaft l1 tends to advance the disk 5| into frictional engagement with the outer surface of the clutch element 32, assuming that the transmission is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1. When the clutch element I9 is retracted the pins 52 prevent this frictional engagement, but when The annular grooves-in clutch elements is and 20 are engaged by shifting forks 54 which are attached to sleeves 55 and 56 that are slidably mounted upon a rod 51 which extends entirely through the casing l5 and is slidable therein. A smaller sleeve 58 is mounted on rod 51 intermediate the sleeves 55 and 56, and is provided with a pivot pin 53 which extends upwardly into a socket in thetop of the casing l5, by means of which arrangement the sleeve 58 is held in fixed position. On the pivot pin 59 there is rotatably mounted a lever 60 which is connected at its ends by links 6| and 62'with ears 63 and 64 extending laterally from the sleeves 55 and 56. It will be obvious that when the sleeve 55 is moved toward the right in Figs. 1 and 2 the sleeve 56 will be moved toward the left, and vice versa. Springs 65 and 66 surrounding the sleeves 55 and 56 may be usedto exert pressure on the dog clutch elements l3 and 20 tending to move them into operative position.

Sleeve 55 is provided with a 'detent 61 which is adapted to engage with any one of four notches 68 in the periphery of the carrier plate 22, these notches being positioned in radial alignment with the different gear train positions.

Neutral position of the carrier is half-way between reverse position and first speed position. For neutral position I prefer to hold the clutch elements I! and 20 retracted or in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, and for this purpose I provide a slightly raised socket 69 on the side of the carrier plate 22, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the sleeve 55 is held back against the action of spring 65.

As an example of means for revolving the gear carrier from one speedpositionto another, I have illustrated herein a gear 10 keyed to shaft 2|, which may be rotated by suitable means, as by a rack 1|. This rack may project through the easing l5 and may 'be moved by any convenient means. The movement of the rack may be accomplished' manually if desired by means comprising a sector 12 on the lower end of a tube 13 which is oscillatahly mounted within the steering post 14 ,of the vehicle. The portions of the rack 1| engaged by the sector I2 and the gear Ill may or may not be in alignment and. may or may not be directly connected.

shaft affords means for oscillating the same.

As indicated in Fig. 4, the steering wheel I5 is mounted at the upper end of a tube 16 which is rotatably mounted within the tubular steering post-I4. Inside the tube I6 there is a fixed tube II projecting upwardly beyond the tube 18, and

upon the upper end tube 11 there' are mounted two diverging arms III which support a quadrant I9. The oscillatable tube I3 is positioned within the fixed tube II, and extends upwardly there beyond far enough to support a hollow shift lever 80, the connection between the tube and lever being a hinge M in order to permit a slight vertical swinging of the lever. Vertical projections 82 on the tube l3 extending into the hollow lever carry part of the strain caused by lever movements.

Within the hollow lever 80 there is rotatably mounted ashaft 83 upon which is a crank 84. A hand-wheel 85 on a protruding extremity of the A- yoke 86 receives the crank 84 on the shaft and is adapted tobe raised from the position of Fig. 6

' by movement of the shaft in either direction from its position of rest. A detent l1 projects downwardly from the yoke M and is adapted to enter any one of five sockets R, N, I, 2 and H in the top .fy the lever 8t and any part or parts which may be directly connected therewith, as for instance the tube l3 and the gear sector E2 in the embodiment illustrated. i

As indicated in Fig. l, a movable element of the service clutch It is connectedwith'a collar 88 which is keyed to slide on shaft I'll. This collar is provided with a peripheral groove which may be engaged by the shifting fork of a conventional clutc lever, and connections may be arranged also between this lever and the 'sleeve 65, preferably through red ill, for the purpose oi opera-ting sleeves 55 and lit, by which the dog clutch elements are connected or disconnected. Operation of the main and dog clutches manually in this manner is quite satisfactory, but still greater ease and speed of gear [shifting may be obtained by the use of an electrically controlled power actuator for the main and dog clutches,- which will now be described. I

' In the forward end of rod B! there are flats Flt which'aii'ordmeans for engagement with a clutch flange 95 is not apiston, and in fact it may be 9| serve to prevent separation of the piston 92 nothing more thana spider. Heads on the rods and flange to beyond a predetermined extent. Obviously, when the piston 92 moves forward-the rod 51 moves with-it, and the. collar ll moves forward at the sametime, beginning the disengagement of I the main clutch I6. As soon as the slack afiorded by the rods is taken up, the

ated by hydraulic means.

' the disengagement oi. the dog clutches.

In the present instance the piston 92 is oper- 96 is a gear pump driven by the engine of the vehicle. It may be located in the engine oil sump and may have a connection with the pool of oil in the sump, as indicated at 81. This pump runs constantly and causes oil to circulate through a conductor 9! up to cylinder 93 and backthrough a conductor 89 to the pump. A valve I00 in return pipe "is normally open, permitting free. circulation of the oil. when this valve is closed however, oil pressure builds up rapidly in the (Minder 93 causing piston 92 to move to the left, operating the clutches. The valve I00 is provided with a crank II which constitutes the armature of an electromagnet I02. When this magnet is energized the crank I III is raised to the position of Fig. 4, closing the valve. A set screw I03 serves as an adjustable abutment for the crank IUI, thereby determining the size of the oil passage around the valve I00, and consequently the speed with'which the cylinder 93 may be emptied. This provides an efl'ective means for regulating the engaging action of the clutches to secure rapid engagement without grabbing.

0n the rearend of shaft 83 in hollow shift lever 86, there is a contact I04 which is adapted to engage with the circular portions ofaspring contact finger "I05 whenever the shaft 83 is turned through a small angle from the hormal position thereof. This finger mil is mounted upon an insulating base I06 which is secured to the bottom wall of the lever 80. An insulated electrical conductor I0! is connected with flnger I05 and w down through the tube It in the steering post through battery H5 and thence to electromagnet ms. The end 0! this conductor is grounded, and the shaft 83 is also grounded.

It will be seen, therefore: that when the handwheel 85 on the end of the shaft 813 is turned. to lift the detent 81, an electrical circuit will be set up through electromagnet me which will close valve tilt and cause the clutches to be disengaged preparatory to the movement of the lever dd ior shifting the gear carrier from one position to another. When the operator desires to disengage the main clutch It without shifting gears, he simply turns the hand-wheel $5. The clutch lever til may be provided with a foot pedal for use in emergencies if desired.

In order to provide a circuit for oil around the 2 pump when the piston is in the forward or actuated position, a safety valve WI is located in a by-pass between the, sides of the line, as indicated in Fig. 1. I g

revolving parts of the gear carrier are preferably enclosed by a sheet metal cylinder itt separating the grease within the cylinder from that outside'of the cylinder and providing a smooth surface of revolution, whereby the revolution of the carrier is not materially interfered with bythe drag of the grease even in the coldest weather.

On that portion of the quadrant 19 in which the sockets I, '2 and H aredocated I may provide a rib or flange III! which is adapted to be engaged by a hook I III on the lever 8t, preventing the lever from being swung on its hinge II when anywhere in the forward speed range. The quadrant M has a stop well ill in positio'nto be engaged by the lever 80 whenthelatter is turned to neutral position. In order to make a shift to reverse gear tion, it is necessary, for the operator to lift the outer end of lever ll against the action of a spring I I! in order to get it over the stop Ill. Accidental shifting into reverse position is thereby avoided.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an automotive vehicle, a steering ,post, a steering wheel, a clutch, a transmission of the revolving gear carrier type, means for revolving said gear carrier to bring the desired gear train into operative position, a shift lever mounted to turn about an axis extending lengthwise of said steering post and operatively connected with said carrier revolving means, and means associated with said lever for controlling said clutch.

2. In an automotive vehicle, a steering. post, a steering wheel, a clutch, a transmission of the revolving gear carrier type, means for revolving said gear carrier to bring the desired gear train into operative position, an "osciliatable tube mounted within the steering post and extending upwardly beyond the steering wheel, a shift lever attached to and projecting outwardly from the upper end of said oscillatable tube, an operative connection between the lower end of said tube and said carrier revolving means, and means associated with said lever for controlling said clutch.

3. In an automotive vehicle, a steering post, a steering wheel, a clutch, a constant mesh change speed transmission of a kind to be shifted by continuous movement of one character from neutral or any forward speed to any higher forward speed and vice versa, means for shifting said transmission, an oscillatable tube mounted within the steering post and extending upwardly beyond said steering wheel, a shift lever attached to and projecting outwardly from the upper end of said oscillatable tube, an operative connection between the lower end of said tube and said means for shifting the transmission, and means associated with said lever for controlling said clutch.

I 4. In an automotive vehicle, a motor, a steering post, a transmission, a clutch interposed between the motor and transmission, a gear shift lever at the top of said post operatively connected with said transmission, an electric switch carried by said lever, means at the free end of the lever for operating said switch, means actuated by said motor for operating said clutch, and electrical means in circuit with said switch for controlling said power actuated means.

5. In an automotive vehicle, a transmission, a clutch, a shaft, operative connections between one end of said shaft and said transmission for changing the'transmission from one speed to another, a fixed quadrant at the other end of the shaft having recesses therein corresponding with the diflerent speed positions of the transmission, a shift lever attached to the last named end of said shaft and running over said quadrant, a spring detent carried by thev lever adapted to enter any one of said recesses, an element at the free end of the lever rotatable for withdrawing said detent, and means associated with said relatively movable element for controlling said clutch,

and bodily movable for moving said lever over its quadrant.

between one end of said shaft and said transmission for changing the transmission from one speed to another, a fixed quadrant at the other. end oi? the shaft having recesses therein corresponding with the different-speed positions of the transmission, a; shift lever attached to the last-named end of said shaft and running over said quadrant, a

spring detent carried by the lever adapted to enter any one of said recesses, an electric switch carried by the lever, means actuated by said motor for operating said clutch, electric means in circuit with said switch for controlling said motor actuated means, and an element at the free end of the ing said lever over its quadrant.

'7. In an automotive vehicle, a gear shift lever mounted to swing, a quadrant over which said lever runs, said quadrant having gear positions in the order of reverse, neutral, first, second and high speeds, a stop on the quadrant between the reverse and neutral positions, means permitting relative movement of the stop and lever' at right angles to the quadrant in order that the lever .may be moved from neutral to reverse position,

clutch control means, and means associated with said lever for operating said clutch control means.

, 8. In an automotive vehicle, a gear shift lever mounted to swing about an upright axis, a quadrant over which said lever runs, said quadrant having one level for neutral and forward gear positions and a higher level for reverse gear position, said lever having a hinged joint therein permitting the outer portion of the lever beyond the hinge to be moved from the lower level of the quadrant to the higher level thereof and vice 'versa, clutch control means, and means associated with said lever for operating said clutch control means.

9. In an automotive vehicle, a motor, a transmission, a clutch interposed between the motor and transmission, a gear shift control element operatively connected with said transmission, an electric switch carried by said control element, means at the free end of the control element for operating said switch, a hydraulic cylinder and piston for operating said clutch, means driven by the motor for circulating liquid through said cylinder, a valve on the return side of the liquid line, and electrical means in circuit with said switch for. closing said valve, whereby pressure is built up in the cylinder.

10. In an automotive vehicle, a motor, a transmission, a clutch interposed between the motorhydraulic cylinder and piston for operating said clutch, means driven by the motor for circulatingiliquid throughthe cylinder, a valve on the return side of the liquid line, means associated with said control element and adapted to be operated by the handy of the operator on the control element for opening and closing said valve, and a by-pass with a spring loaded valve therein arranged across said liquid line for pre-.

.venting excessive pressure in the line.

lever rotatable for withdrawing said detent and closing said switch, and bodily movable for movfor, opening.and

12. In an automotive vehicle, a motor, a transmission, a clutch interposed between the motor and transmission, a gear shift control element operatively connected with said transmission, a

- arouse 13. In an automotive vehicle, a steering post, a steeringwheel, a clutch, a transmission of the revolving gear carrier type, means for revolving said gear carrier to bring the desired gear train into operative-position, a gear shift control element mounted to turn about an axis extending lengthwise of said steering post and adapted to eflect actuation of said gear carrier revolving means, and means associated with said gear shift control element for effecting operation of said clutch.

14. In an automotive vehicle, a motor, a steering post, a transmission, a clutch interposed hetween the motor and transmission, a gear shift control element operatively connected with said transmission, comprising a lever at the top of said post, an electric switch carried by said lever,

means at the free end of saidlever for operating said switch, power actuated means for operating said clutch, and electrical means in circuit with said switch for controlling said power actuated means.

15. In an automotive vehicle, a transmission,

- a clutch, a quadrant, a gear shift control element comprising a lever arranged to swing about the center of the quadrant and running over the quadrant, said quadrant having recesses therein corresponding with the different speed positions of the transmission, a spring detent carried by the lever adapted to enter any one of said recesses, means set in operation by the movement of said control element from one speed position to another, for eifecting a corresponding shift of the transmission, rotatable means at the free end of the lever for withdrawing said detent and bodily movable for moving said lever over its quadrant, and means associated with said rotatable means for controllingthe actuation of said clutch.

' SOLON J. BOUGHTON. 

